


Checkmate

by Oooooooh_Witchy (one_big_dreamer)



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-20
Updated: 2019-05-20
Packaged: 2020-03-08 17:32:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 5,125
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18899353
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/one_big_dreamer/pseuds/Oooooooh_Witchy





	1. Chapter 1

“Your Highness? The king would like to see you,” said one of her maids to (Y/N). “I’ll be there in a minute,” came her reply from the bathroom.

The throneroom was not really big. Her father, Clint Barton, hated that. How smaller the room, how easier it was for the townspeople to come to the castle with their problems. And it had a strategetic function. The smaller it was, the easier it was to defend it. “Father, you wished to speak me?” she said when she stood before him. He nodded. “Next week the king and princes of Asgrad will be here to talk about a trade agreement. You know what that means?” (Y/N)s face lit up and nodded. That meant that she could spend her days in the town instead of being in the castle. Clint smiled, he knew exactly how she felt, being locked between the walls. That was why he had never forbid her to visit the town. His father had it done to him, what resulted in the fact that he often sneaked out the castle, just to have a fresh breath of air. And he knew too that his daughter hated such meetings. That’s why she only visited the really important ones. As he watched her leave, he noticed something new in her eyes. It looked like the same he had when he had first met his wife. Could his daughter be in love?

“Bucky, you here?” Her head peaked around the corner of a little shop.  
It was her favorite place in town. The smell calmed her always down and the owners, who didn’t know she was the princess, were always kind to her.

“I’m here little princess,“ he said while he hugged her from behind.  
“Buck, don’t call me that. You know that I don’t like it.“

He pouted. “But you know I like to call you that.“ His blue eyes catched hers and she immediatly bursted out into laughter. “I love you Bucky.“  
“I love you too (Y/N).“ After a short pause Bucky said: “You know I love wood craving, huh? I want to show you something.“

He pulled her inside the shop and took her to the atelier.  
There, on his workbench, stood the most beautiful chessgame she had ever seen. “That’s the most beautiful chessgame I’ve ever seen,“ she said breathlessly. “I am glad you like it. It’s a gift for one of the princes that come here next week,“ Bucky said a bit nervous. “Hey don’t worry,“ (Y/N) said and kissed his nose. “They would be foolish if they don’t like it. You are the best wood craver I know.“

Back in the castle she packed a little bag with simple clothes for the upcoming week. She would live with one of her best friends who happend to be one of her maids, so she didn’t need to pack much.

She felt that someone was watching her and she turned around, with one of her dresses still in her hands.  
“Evening dad.“ She smiled a little and looked down at the dress in her hands. Then she looked back at him. “Evening little sunshine,“ he chuckled. He could tell she was nervous, even though she had done this a few times. “Let me guess, you have nerves?“ He took the dress out ofher hands and laid them on her bed, next to her bag and pulled her in for a hug. “Ofcourse I have nerves,“ (Y/N) said, laying her head on her fathers chest. “Going away from you, not knowing if you are okay, missing diners with you.“

“I will miss you too (Y/N). You’re the best daughter a father can wish, I mean, how many princesses can wield a sword like they are born with it? Shoots arrows that always hit target? No-one but you!“ He twirled her around in his arms. “Dad, you’re making me blush!“

Their little moment was interupted when someone knocked on the door.  
Clint growled silently, while (Y/N) let out a little sigh.

“Come in.“

In the door stood Sir Stark, one of her fathers closest friends and advisor.

“Stark, what’s wrong? Can I not have a moment with my daughter?” he joked.

“I’m afraid not your majesty,“ sir Stark said completly serious.

“How so?“

“There is a possibillity that there is a complot to kidnap your daughter, your majesty.“


	2. Chapter 2

“Kidnapped? Are you sure?“  
Stark nodded at the questions from the king.

“With all respect sir,“ (Y/N) began “but have you any idea where and when they will try?” It was quite clear that one of the countries next to your father’s didn’t want to let something pass through.

“Unfortunately not, but I doubt it that they know that our princess can often be found in the town among the normal people.“

“But we can’t take risks either,“ her father said thruthfully.

“You can ask Illith if she will keep an eye in sight. I’m sure she won’t mind.“

“Illith? Are you sure? I thought you couldn’t really get allong with her?“ He looked back at his daughter. How much times had he said to himself that she was growing up to fast? A few years ago he would have to help her on her pony and now she was taking her own decicions. Not that he wouldn’t let her. But though… It bothered him a little time had passed by so quickly.

“Illith and I indeed don’t go along if we are longer than an hour in the same room, but it feels like she is my little sister and we hve eachothers back. And she understands that I hate it to be called by my full name or title so she just calls me (Y/N).“

Stark and her father nodded.

“I will inform the girl,“ the advisor said, but (Y/N) stopped him. “No, I’ll do it myself. If someone else does, she will porably ignore it and just letting me do what I do without even turning her back.“

With that, the man let them alone. (Y/N) crawled back in her fathers hug and murmered: “Don’t worry about me father, I’ll be fine. Even though it doesn’t look like it right now.“

The next day…

“Illith! Do you have a moment?” the princess asked her friend, who was taking care of some haybales. “Hey little sister. What the matter? Your teachers? Some assholes one the market yesterday? Or can’t you get some technique under controle?“

(Y/N) cracked a little smile at her friend. “No, my techniques and my teachers are fine. No, there are indeed some assholes, but I don’t know if they were at the market yesterday.“

The girl laughed at the little joke. “Or pehaps a landlord who thinks you are just an ‘I am too bright and innocent for my age’ and wants to convince your farther to marry him?“

“No, those assholes want to kidnap me.“ she said half joking, half serious.

Illith stiffend at the words.

“No-one touches my little sister.“ She said in a dark tone, (Y/N) never heard before. “Don’t worry, I’ll look after you.“

(Y/N) smiled. Like she said: They couldn’t be long together in the same place, but watched each other like hawks.

“Good, you know where to find me in the town weeks.“

Illith nodded, picking up her task. “See ya there (Y/N)“

However, what both girls didn’t know, was that someone had been listening the whole time and now made his way out of the castle unnoticed.

“Evening your highness,“ the girl in the door said when (Y/N) arrived and despite her hate for the title, she gave her a smile. “For the next week you can call me by my name, as if I am your equal.“ She walked into the house and was embraced by the warmth of a burning fire in the fireplace.  
“There is a room for you next to mine,“ the girl from the door informed her.

“Thanks,“ but she didn’t move a single muscle. Bag still on her back, as if she was ready to flee. Another knock on the door made her almost jump out of her skin. “Calm down (Y/N). You are overreacting,“ she said to herself and walked to the door.

It was Illith with a little package, to her surprise.

“I don’t know if you have eaten already, but my mother made this for you.“ She handed (Y/N) the package. “Thanks, but I need to be a common townsgirl, okay?“

“I said that too, but she wouldn’t listen. Hey good evening, and see you tomorrow!“ She left without further glancing and walked down the street to her house.


	3. Chapter 3

The next day, (Y/N) was early out of bed and decided to make breakfast for herself. Not that she could make something more difficult than a slice of bread and butter.

After her little breakfast she looked around. There was always work in a house and she decided to see if she could clean the fireplace since she knew there would be a lot of ash in it, according to the fire that burned there last night.  
She was right and found a bucket and a scoop in one of the closets.  
In the castle it was done for her most of the time, but sometimes, the princess knew that the maid who had to clean her fireplace had a bad day, so then she told her to go home and that she would do it herself.  
Ofcourse, if the maid did it, it was much cleaner, but sometimes you have to look at your workers and not their tasks.

It was clear that the court of Asgrad had arrived today, because a lot of people where in the main street. (Y/N) chuckled and rolled her eyes. They would never see a glimpse of the man, she knew. Mostly because they didn’t really like the attention of the townspeople. Little did she know that the princes both had a crush on her. So she was surprised when she saw the trio in a carriage right in front of her. They had seen each other several times lat year, but not under official circumstances. She didn’t know that Odin however had chosen for this himself, in a slight hope that he would see the girl where his sons were so crazy about. But neither of them did because she looked just like all the others.

In the castle, the king paced back and forth in his office. He was worried.  
When he heard that his colleague wanted to speak about a trade agreement, he only worried only about the results of that. Now he worried to about his daughter, who was in possible life danger, if he took it serious. And he did. Nothing was him more dear than his family and he would protect them at all costs. A knock on his officedoor brought him back to reality.  
“Your majesty, the king of Asgrad and his sons,“ the clerk said and letted them in. Clint nodded to them and took seat behind his desk. “Have a seat.“

The three sat down and Odin spoke up. “Thanks that you want bargain. We have it quite difficult the last time.“ The blonde man raised his eyebrow.

“From what I’ve heard not. But that aside, you wanted a trade agreement with us. What did you picture?“  
They bargained the whole day, but didn’t come to an agreement.

In the evening when they had diner Thor said: “With all respect your highness, but I believed you had a daughter, where is she? I didn’t see her around the castle today.“  
Clint looked up like he was bitten by a snake and after a few seconds he said: “She is not in the castle, she likes to be in the town. I’m sure you will see her within a few days.“ The moment he said (Y/N) liked to be in the town, Odin looked like he tasted something disgusting. And it didn’t go unnoticed to Clint.  
“Odin, I know you don’t like the ‘normal‘ people, but my daughter does and if I am honest I don’t hold her back.“ Thor and Loki looked at eachother with a knowing look. They would go to the town tommorow.

“But what about her skin? She will get color!“ Odin exclaimed, looking the other right in the eye, but he simpely shrugged. “We are all people Odin, and you know as good as I that by our death, we are all the same to the Lord.“  
Odin muttered something under his breath, but gave in. For now.

The next day, Loki and Thor decided to go to the town to look for their girl.  
To not be recognized they dressed themselves as traders and walked down to the houses under the hill. After the morning had passed, they had found nothing and decided to take a meal in one of the taverns. While they waited for their food. Thor started talking. “Loki, do you really think we will find her today? We have been trough the whole town, but none of the people her seems to know about her,” but his brother shook his head. “He was honest brother, and if you were her would you let everyone know you were in town?“ Thor nodded understadingly. “No, she doesn’t like it when people treat her different, because of her status.“

“Exactly. So most likely she is dressed like them and even looks like them, because, if we have to believe her father, she comes here quite often.“ He stopped when he saw one of the waitress come with their food. They thanked her politely and continued their conversation.  
“So, if I were a princess who hides among the townfolk, where would I hide then?“ Thor asked mostly himself, but his brother gave the answer to his question. “(Y/N) loves fresh bread, so let’s look again by the bakery.“

“Good idea.“ Thor dug back into his food and said between two bites. “I get why she is here often. They cook good here.“


	4. Chapter 4

“(Y/N)!” a voice sounded behind her in the little bookstore of the town and it was Bucky. “Hey Bucky.“ She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed his nose, making him blush.  
“I’m glad you came,“ she said and pressed herself against his chest. “For you, always doll.“ Though he felt something was wrong. 

“Bucky?“ she asked nervous. “Yes doll? What’s it?“  
She untangled herself from him and swallowed. “I’ve something to tell you.“  
“You know I can keep a secret,“ and he pulled her back into his embrace. “I’m not who you think I am.“ Her voice was quite and soft and held some fear in it.  
“I am not a maid in the castle, but-“ her voice broke. Not knowing how he woud react. “You know I like you, even if you turn out to be an assasin,“ he half joked.  
(Y/N) didn’t laugh. “Bucky, I am the princess.“  
“I always said you were one,” he said with an admiring voice and she looked at him in surprise. She had expected many reactions, but not this one.  
“So, you’re not angry at me for hiding my identity?“ She asked.  
“How could I ever be mad at that? It’s complet-” He didn’t finish his sentence and she felt him become heavy. “Bucky?“ That was the last she could ask before an stinging pain in the back of her head knocked her out.

“Wake up little princess,“ an vaguely familiar voice sounded through her head. She had a terrible headache and growled from the pain. She remebered the pain she felt in the bookstore, only this felt much worse. “Finally you’re awake. The boss would have murdered me if I had killed you.“  
She rubbed out her eyes and saw a man with his back turned to her. She tried to sit up, but cursed under her breath when the pain stung trough her head. “Where is Bucky?“ she asked, eyes closed again. “That boy in the bookstore? Not here, I don’t know where he is sweetheart.“

“Lair.“

“The last time I saw him he was in the bookstore. So who knows…“

Odin walked through his appartment and thought about the last news he had gotten. The kidnapping of the princess and a chessgame for his youngest son. And maybe it was just him, but the person who had brought it, looked a bit paniced. And then how the chess pieces were prepared. King Gambit. And the reaction of the poor father. If he only knew. But afterwards, he had called him to his office and the man had seemed now only just worried. He smiled. everything was going as planned. And if it kept going if it did, he would have a bigger empire. Yes things were going good for him.

“King Gambit?“ Loki asked himself. “What does that mean? would he dare me for a match? Didn’t seem so, according the look he had one his face.“ He walked to the window of his appartement that looked out over the town. “What did he try to tell us? What?“  
He turned away from the window and started pacing back and forth.

After what felt like ages he made a decission: he would figure out what the King Gambit meant.

Clint was worried. Ofcourse, normally he was worried to if his daughter was in the town, but now things had gotten out of hand. His daughter kidnapped when the king from another country was visiting, wasn’t really good for the image. A soft knock on his door woke him up from his worries. “Come in.“ His voice was raw and his eyes red from crying. “Has your father send you to scoff me out?“

Loki shook his head. “No your majesty, I came here on own purpose.“ He paused. “When the game was brought, the pieces were already moved. And in a certain position, called King Gambit. What does that mean?“

Clint sighed. “It’s about my daughter. She is kidnapped.“

Loki didn’t believe what he heard. “Kidnapped? Who would do something like that?“

“Everyone has enemies. I am no exeption.“ He looked at Loki, but seemed to stare somewhere only he could look. “Your father is gonna use that in his advantage. I feel it.“

His fist clenched and completely unexpected, he grabbed something and threw it against the wall behind Loki, who was shocked.

“I am sorry. I hadn’t myself under controle,“ he apologized tears welling up again. “I’m just worried and tired. I am tired of being a king, but if I left of now, she would be way to young. She has just so many things she can do in her life and I don’t want to take that away from her, just because I am so tired.“

“I spoke a girl named Illith, they seem to be close, but unfortunately she didn’t know where the kidnapper went, since he knocked her unconscious. She was furious. I’m glad she didn’t attack me.“

The king let out a joyless laugh. “Because she knew she would have bigger problems upon her if she did. The poor guy who knocked her. He won’t make it out of a fight with her in one piece.“

There fell a short and painfull silence.

“My brother and I will look for her.“ He said it so suddenly, Clint almost jumped out of his skin. “We will find her and bring her back, safe and sound.”

“I appreciate that, I am sure Illith will help you two if she isn’t searching already.“  
He leaned with his back against his desk and played with one of his feathers. “(Y/N), may the Lord be with you,“ he mumbled and looked up and the ceiling.

The pain in her head had eased, but she still felt a nasty bruise on the back of her head. She didn’t know what time it was and there wasn’t a clock anywhere.  
Most of the time she had been here, she had tried to sleep, hoping the time would pass faster if she did. The man however who spoke earlier with, had dissapeared to who knows where. Strange enough there wasn’t a door in the room where she was kept. Only a scuttle in the ceiling.


	5. Chapter 5

Some people were stupid. That was something Illith could understand. What she didn’t understand was that those stupid people had kidnapped her little sister. Maybe they weren’t family by blood, but they had a bond like one. The two princes beside her had an arguement about what the intensions of the kidnapper could be, but she only rolled her eyes at it. The only thing that mattered was that she would get her sister back. Alive.

After a day searching, they made up their camp near a river. The night had fallen and they had to do it with some old bread, dried fruits and smoked meat.

“So what’s our next step?“ Thor asked and looked at Loki and Illith, whom the last was more busy with her piece of meat than with the two princes. But in fact she had spotted something. Or rather someone. “Dunno, but first I want to know who could possibly have kidnapped her,” Illith said chewing.  
“Why?“ Loki asked. “Do you want revenge or something?“ but Illith shook her head and chuckled joyless. “No, I want to let them know that none messes with (Y/N).“

“It’s princess for you. You are in a lower rank,“ Loki corrected her.

“She hates that title, the only times I do that is on special occasions. And this isn’t a special occassion.“

“Doesn’t matter, you are in a lower rank, so you call her princess.“

“No I don’t. We are like sisters, and for so far I know do sisters not call eachother by their title.“

Thor didn’t blend in the discussion because he saw the person Illith had spotted earlier.

Out of nothing, she stood up and grabbed the person by his upper arm, but she received a hard hit on her nose and letted go of the pain. Thor who understood her action, got immediatly after the the mysterious figure while Loki looked a bit confused to all that was happening, although it didn’t show on his face.

The pursuit lasted only briefly, when Thor finally managed to catch him.  
However, the person, who turned out to be a man, didn’t give in so easely.  
He hitted him several times in his stomach and on his face, but Thor, who was stronger (not much though), Freed one of the horses, because he knew it wouldn’t run away, and used the rope to knot the hands of the man together.

“Let me go, I have nothing done to you!“ he yelled, but Loki silenced him. “Oh and what are those bruises on the face of my brother, you obvious caused?“

“I defended myself!“

“You were spying us.“

Illith’s voice sounded cold and did al three of them shiver.

“You work for someone, don’t you?“

The man shook his head. “No I don’t, I promise you.“ But Illith didn’t believe him.  
“You are a bad lair, you know that? You were spying us all day. The only two reasons why you kept spying us is that, one, you thought none of us had spotted you, and two, you are very afraid of the one you work for, aren’t you?“

He swallowed loud. A sign of confession. Her voice became even colder.

“Who is your boss?“

The man didn’t dare to lie anymore. “He calls himself Zemo.“

“Do you know where his hide out is?“

“No he spoke to me on the streets.“

She gave Thor a nod and he letted his hand go off the others back.

“Let him go so he can tell that Zemo that we are comming for him.“

The fear became clear on the man’s face and shook begging his head. “Please don’t go to him. He will kill you all!“

For a second the man believed that he saw empathy in her eyes, but that wasn’t true. It was melachony and irony. But he saw it so short, he didn’t know if he had it imagined or not.  
“That Zemo doesn’t know one thing: I am willing to die if I can save the one who he kidnapped.“

“Who is his prisoner?“ the man asked, out of pure curiousity.

“If you tell us where his hide out is, maybe I will tell you then.“

“If I tell you where his hide out is? But I already said I don’t know where that is!“ the man told her and she smirked. “In other words, I am not gonna tell you.“


	6. Chapter 6

The next day, they letted the man go. Illith knew that the man would tell it his boss anyway and that was excactly what she wanted. She wanted him to know she was hunting him down. Once they climbed on their horses, Loki asked in general where they would go.

“To the north side of this river, there is the only place that could be possible for a good hide out without risking that someone easely finds you,“ Illith answered, but Loki had been thinking. “Don’t you find this a bit to easy? It’s like they want us to find the princess! This has all been to easy and it wouldn’t surprise me if it was a trap.“

“That’s a good point, but then, there would be a more complicated reason for the kidnapper, than just to piss of the king -not that I would even consider that. There must be a complot against the royal family. The only thing is if I should tell you what I think that the complot is.“

“Why not?“ Thor asked and cocked his head.

“Because it has to do with your father. I am an informant of the king and three days before (Y/N) got kidnapped, I heard him talk to someone. I knew that it wasn’t my buisness, but curiousity got the best of me and I started eavesdropping. From what I heard it was clear that he wanted the man to kidnap someone, only I didn’t know who. So I reported it and the very same day (Y/N) asked me to keep an eye on her, so I did. Two days later in a bookstore, someone knocked me out from behind and when I woke up I was in the hospital wing of the castle.“

“But why would our father kidnap the princess?“ Thor asked, not understanding what Illith just said.  
She sighed. “Because, if he holds her imprisoned he can manipulate the king with it. I thought that as a prince you would have a bit of an idea of politcs. But that aside. I have been in Asgrad and after a few years, I knew how your father had gained such a big empire. Fighting and manipulating. Yes I informed the king about that. And right now he seems to do the same. But he knows our king is a strong one with a very few weaknesses, and one of them happens to be his daughter.“

They arrived by the river and the princes got first. After the river it remaind silent between them until Loki spotted a weird kind of building that clearly wasn’t a normal hunting lodge. “Found it,“ he simply said and pointed to it.  
Illith nodded. “Let’s investigate.“

At the first sight the building didn’t seem to have an entrance, but they found it soon enough when Thor suddenly disappeared in a good covered well.

“I guess I found it!“

“We see,“ Loki said sarcastically to him and jumped after him, followed by Illith.

Stumbling on the floor above (Y/N) was what waked her. She heard some muffled screaming and then silence. After a few seconds, she heard some creaking, but couldn’t locate it, with her eyes still closed. But then she remebered there was only one entrance that happenend to be the scuttle. She opened her eyes and rubbed them out. And they met a very well known brown pair. “You,“ was the only thing she said, when she finally recognized him. “Yes me,“ he simply answered back. “Surpises me that you didn’t recognize me earlier.“ He held a knife in his hand, and (Y/N) had an idea of the motives of the man before her. The corners of his mouth twitched into something that wasn’t a smile, but not a grimas either, And for the first time in years, someone scared her. Not that she showed it, but he scared her with that look. “The boss had said someone would come to rescue you, but know you’re here, I don’t let you go without getting blood in return.“

“You are crazy,“ her eyes and face were full of fear now. Zemo was known for this and she feared the lives of the ones who had came to rescue her.

“So are you sweetheart, but by me it just shows in a different way.“ He twisted the knife in his hand, almost cutting himself. He walked over to her, but she immediatly stood up and began to circle around him. She knew she hadn’t a chance against him, but if she held on her current circling, she would have a bigger chance of surviving. Somewhere she started hoping that the ones who had come to rescue her, wouldn’t find the scuttle. But that hope was quikly gone when she heard it open again following by the voice of a very well-known girl. Illith.

“Hands of my sister Zemo.“

If (Y/N) hadn’t known better she would say that if there was water in the room it would instantly freeze by her voice.

“Agent White, what a pleasure to see you. It has been a long time, hasn’t it?“

Illith had reached the ground. “To short to my idea.“ She walked over to (Y/N) with a warning look. They both knew that he wouldn’t let them go before there was drawn blood. She handed her a knife and looked her friend in the eye.

“Run.“

(Y/N)’s brain protested but her legs had already followed the order and climbed up to the scuttle, where she finally blocked, only to see the one she loved like a sister, dead. Blood slowly seeped out of several wounds and her eyes were wide open, but saw nothing. She felt sick by that sight, but it also letted something snap in her. Zemo had done his work fast, but he would never expect what (Y/N) did.


End file.
